Schiano ripped by former player

Michael Bennett played just one season under Greg Schiano in Tampa Bay before signing with the Seattle Seahawks. The one season was more than enough for Bennett, who spoke about the embattled Schiano’s coaching style with NFL.com’s Michael Silver.

Schiano’s style is confrontational and brusque, which players — some who have been in the league for many years — have a hard time respecting.

“I think he just wants to flex his power,” Bennett says. “He has small (man’s) syndrome. I still talk to guys who are there, and trust me, there’s not much respect for him in that locker room.”

Yikes.

Silver points out that a high-profile loss to the Panthers coupled with a nine-day layoff between games could be the end of Schiano’s tenure. Though Thursday night’s game will not likely set the football world on fire, it could be key to the Buccaneers’ future.

Butch Davis, who coached for the University of Miami and University of North Carolina, is Schiano’s special assistant in Tampa Bay. With his head coaching experience, he could step in as an interim. However, Davis may not be able to take the position of interim head coach because of an ongoing contract issue with UNC.

The Buccaneers have dealt with more drama than a whole season of a soap opera in just a few months. Would the Glazers want even more drama in Schiano’s inevitable firing?